


Flowers for Assholes

by HappyLeech



Series: A Series for Assholes [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Bad Flirting, But Bastion is a roomba in this AU and I just want you to know this in advance, Meet-Cute, Multi, Non-Overwatch AU, Slow burn? What's slow burn?, characters and ships to be added, flower symbolism, windex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 08:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7525936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyLeech/pseuds/HappyLeech
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanzo just wants to close up shop for the night.<br/>Jesse just wants to tell his boss where to stick it and quit his job.<br/>*-*-*<br/>Prompt from Tumblr + encouragement from my sister<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. So a Cowboy walks into a flower shop

In another timeline, this is a different story. In a different timeline, a cowboy mans the desk of Tumbleweed Flowers and Plants, and it is an Olympic career archer who storms in, looking for a subtle way to tell his brother to go fuck himself. In another world, they interact with each other for a total of half an hour, and never meet again.

But, that isn’t this story.

* * *

Inside of Stems and Pieces, one Hanzo Shimada was preparing for the end of his night. It was twenty past five on a Wednesday, closing time was at six, and everything was going according to schedule until the cowboy slammed open the glass door.

“I need flowers,” he said, storming up to the counter and slamming his hands down on the glass. “I need something to tell my boss in the most eloquent way that I fucking hate him, and I’m quitting.”

Hanzo looked at the cowboy, at the glass countertop he’d literally just finished cleaning, and at the bottle of windex in his hand. It was a bad idea, and it would possibly lose his the business of the man, but really, there'd be others.

Without a second though, he sprayed down the countertop and the mans hands with a liberal amount of windex, then motioned for the man to move. “You’re smudging the glass,” he explained when the man gave him the most confused look.

“I’m—what?” he finally said, pulling his hands away from the counter to wipe on his pants. “What was that for?”

“You were smudging the glass—the countertop I just finished cleaning-- with your hands. Once I finish recleaning the counter, I’ll get to your request.” Hanzo took his time cleaning, making sure that every speck of grime that wasn’t really there was off the glass before he returned his attention to the man.

He was standing to the side, poking at the succulents with interest, and Hanzo coughed, catching his attention. “Do you want a bouquet, or a vase? If this is to tell someone you hate them, I do have a basket in the back that I can use. And how much do you want to spend? I charge between $15 and $180 for something basic.” Already he had a selection of flowers in mind for the man, similar in nature to the bunch he’d sent to his father for his birthday.

The man hesitated for a moment, before shrugging. “I’ve got $35 with me—a twenty and change. I’ll give ya’ that if you can make something work.”

Hanzo smiled. “And can I have a name for the card?”

“Jesse McCree. J-e-s-s-e M-c-Capital C-r-e-e. Feel free to put the recipient as ‘the asshole’, thought. He’s a fucking prick…” the man grumbled, and Hanzo snorted. “So you’ll do it? I mean, you’re the only florist open in this end of town still, and I only have half an hour before my break ends and he ditches town until next Tuesday.”

“You’re lucky I actually have the flowers needed to make this work. I should have it ready in fifteen minutes.” Hanzo could have sworn he told the man that he’d won the lottery with how his face lit up, and he darted forwards, leaving a pile of dirty change and one lone, crumpled bill on the counter.

Hanzo sighed. He was never going to get the damn thing clean, was he?

Leaving the man alone to poke around the shop while he waited, Hanzo gathered the flowers he’d need, and moved into the small back room where he had his prep table. Digging around, he pulled a decidedly rough looking basket up off the floor, former contents unknown, and began to lay out the flowers. It was going to be more disorganized than his usual spreads, and not up to his standards at all, but he doubted that the flowers were going to survive the night.

A mixture of geraniums and yellow carnations went in first, followed by orange lilies, foxglove, and meadowsweet. The final touch was the card he slid into the mix.

_‘To: the Asshole_   
_I quit_   
_From: Jesse McCree’_

His flowing script didn’t quite match the message, his handwriting fitting better for _happy birthday_ ’s and _it’s a boy_ ’s, but he doubted it’d matter. After a moment spent making sure everything looked as good as it was going to, he carried the medium sized basket out into the shop, where the man was, unfortunately, leaning against the counter.

“Don’t lean on the counter,” he said, setting the basket down and picking up the money, making sure to count that, yes, it was exactly $35 in one bill and change.

The man, in return, shot up and away from the counter, before practically beaming at Hanzo. “Well, if this ain’t the most amazing thing I’ve seen all week!” Once Hanzo handed him the receipt, he gathered the basket up in his arms. “I’m probably going to be late, but I don’t think it matters much now, pardner. Thank ya’.”

Hanzo waved the praise away with a slight frown, his mind occupied by the extra cleaning he’d have to do now. “It was nothing. Have a good night.”

* * *

(It wasn’t until the bell on the door had fallen silent and he’d sprayed down the counter for the third time that night that he’d forgotten to ask why the cowboy was quitting his job, and where he worked.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm revising the earlier chapters! Because I'm never usually happy with my writing, and because now I (think I) have a better grasp of the characters now ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Let me know what you think
> 
> * * *
> 
> The flowers and concept for this fic are taken directly from [this tumblr post](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/post/147530724494/flower-shop-au/)
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Overwatch Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/)


	2. So a Florist gets left a phone number

It’s three days later, and Hanzo had almost forgotten the cowboy when the man walks into his store again, this time at a much more leisurely pace. He’s all grins, and he’s got a black eye that almost makes Hanzo wince.

He walks up to the counter, where Hanzo is once again cleaning it, but doesn’t lean against it. “So, guess how it went.”

From the black eye, the more casual clothing, and the fact that it is barely noon, he can assume the cowboy was successful in his resignation. “I assume it went poorly, but you are no longer employed, and that’s what matters?” Hanzo brushes clumps of dirt to the floor, not even to hide his scowl when he realizes the man is wearing not only a cowboy hat, but also chaps and spurs. Either he is some city boy acting like an insufferable poser, or the man really was a cowboy.

He laughs, hooking one thumb into a belt loop, and leans up against the wall. “Well, the big man threw a chair at me, I stole a case of beer from work before I left, and my roommate hasn’t been talkin’ to me these last few days. It all went according to plan, minus now not being able to make rent. What sort of flowers would ya’ recommend to convince her I’m super sorry ‘bout that?”

Hanzo shook his head in disbelief. “Why are you buying flowers then, if you can’t make rent? Surely your…girlfriend?” the cowboy shook his head frantically, and Hanzo corrected himself. “Your roommate would appreciate any attempt to help the rent, rather than plants.”

The cowboy, his name started with a J, he believed, snorted. “God, no. Just roomies. Lena isn’t my type, and I’m pretty sure her girlfriend would kill me, or my career at least, if I still had one of those.”

“Then you are lucky you don’t have a job to ruin any more than you already have. Yellow roses, with Star of Bethlehem. Atonement, friendship and apology--- all things you need to prove to your roommate, obviously. It’s going to be $25 for a bouquet.” 

The cowboy winced. “Ain’t that a little steep?”

Hanzo rolled his eyes. Always the same complaints. “Roses are expensive.”

Any other protests the cowboy had ready were silenced when two other customers entered the shop, a tall and slim business woman who made a bee-line to the orchids, and a teenaged girl who wandered around, before focusing in on the gladiolus planters. The girl payed for a small pot of the flowers and a venus fly trap before leaving with a cheerful annyonghigaeseyo, and the business woman paid for four pink orchids with a scowl on her face, but left with a soft thank you.

The cowboy was content to stand by the succulents, looking over an aloe vera while the other two customers shopped, but once they left, he made his way back to the counter.  
“Okay, what about this. I’ll give you $15 for the flowers, and I’ll take you out to dinner. A win-win, right?” He beamed at Hanzo, and Hanzo scowled in reply, briefly wondering if spraying the man with windex again was in poor taste.

“After careful consideration of your proposal,” he paused, and the cowboy’s face seemed to light up more than Hanzo thought possible. “I’m raising the price to $30 for a bouquet.”

“What? No! Why?” the cowboy gawked at him. “I only have $15 on me though.”

“Then you’ll get $15 worth of flowers—definitely not a bouquet. And I don’t barter.” That was, of course, a lie. Hanzo had bartered before, but no one had offered to take him out in exchange for flowers.

The cowboy must have been worried that he’d change his mind, because he slapped down a ten and five ones onto the counter frantically. Hanzo resisted the urge to brandish the windex again, and instead shoved the money under the bell on the counter.

“Just a moment—do you want a card with it? They are free.” The cowboy nodded, and Hanzo turned away, grabbing four roses and a few sprigs of Star of Bethlehem from the cooler, neatly tying them together and wrapping them up in less than five minutes. In his few years of owning the store, he had bouquet making down to a fine art.

Hanzo took a moment to pull the man’s name from memory, Jesse, and the roommates name, Lena, before writing out the card.

_‘To: Lena_  
_Sorry for quitting my job and spending all my money on flowers instead of rent like a normal person and decent roommate_  
_From: Jesse’_

The cowboy didn’t pay a lick of attention to the flowers when Hanzo handed them over, instead rushing out of the shop as fast as he possibly could without flat out running. It was like he had somewhere else to be, and if he hadn’t just spent upwards of forty-five minutes in the store, Hanzo’d assume he was late for something. 

“You’re welcome!” Hanzo called out after him, before shaking his head. Hopefully he hadn’t taken his money back and outright stolen the flowers, because he didn’t want to have to deal with the loss of supplies because of a grubby looking cowboy.

The money was still there though when Hanzo looked, and he carefully put the grubby money into his till, pausing when, in between two of the one’s, was a piece of paper. A careful look had Hanzo realize that the cowboy had left him a note on the receipt from the other day, and he nearly choked when he read it.

 _‘hot+angry flower guy! Call me’_ was scrawled on the receipt, a phone number on the bottom next to the man’s name.

“…so that was why he offered to take me for dinner?” he muttered, before slipping the paper into his pocket. After all, there was no brother there to comment on the fact that he didn’t throw the paper out immediately.

* * *

(and so what if he put the number in his phone too? It’s not like Genji would ever find out)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Revised this chapter as well-- I'm liking this story a lot more now that I've redone the first few chapters. As always, let me know what you think of the new version!
> 
> * * *
> 
> Annyonghigaeseyo = Goodbye
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Overwatch Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/)


	3. So a roommate arrives

A week later, and Hanzo was starting to get a little twitchy. The cowboy hadn’t returned at all, and the paper with his number was burning a hole in his pocket. The nine or so started but unset text messages also taunted him, and it was taking all his willpower to not just text the man some illegible nonsense to get it over and done with.

But he wasn’t going to, and he didn’t, and it was starting to become a major distraction.

* * *

It was raining—was going to be raining for the next few days according to the weather channel—and Hanzo had already swept the floors, dusted the shelves, and trimmed any errant plant pieces in an attempt to keep him from typing up unsent message number 11.

So, when the woman in the bright yellow windbreaker walked into the store, he was glad to have something else to focus on. On one hand, business was good and he had a customer to occupy his time. And on the other, she’d brought in with her a rather large, and growing, puddle of water which he could easily spend ten minutes mopping up.

Then, she opened her mouth and started to speak, and Hanzo tried to not groan.

“Oh man—Jesse was right! You really do look pissed off at everything. I guess I owe him a fiver now.” She pushed her mop of soaking wet brown hair away and grinned at the scowl Hanzo was shooting her way.

“Can I help you?” he ground out as the woman started to wander through the store. Jesse was the cowboy, so it was only natural to assume she was the roommate.

He wondered what she thought of the card he’d included with the flowers.

After the woman had done a lap of the store, she bounced up to the counter, leaning against it and leaving a wet streak across the glass. “Do ya’ do deliveries, luv? I wanna surprise my gal, and your flowers are top notch.” She didn’t seem perturbed by the scowl still on his face, and so Hanzo sighed as he dug in the organized clutter of his counter for a delivery form.

“My brother deals with any deliveries, so if you could just fill this out—what you want, your budget, who it’s from and who it’s to, and what you want on the note card.” He passed over the paper along with a pen, and the woman started scribbling out her request immediately.

Hanzo left her to it, pulling out his phone and, after double checking he’d picked the correct contact, started a message to Genji. He should probably let him know that there was an actual delivery to be done…

“Ya know, luv, Jesse’s a little disappointed that you haven’t called him yet.”

Hanzo started, accidently sending his half-finished text out of reflex. “I have no idea what you mean,” he said, even though he was sure he did. The woman grinned, and Hanzo looked down at his phone, quickly finishing the text so he didn’t have to see her smirk at him, and so Genji didn’t text him back, asking _‘wow we have a deli this is news to me when did that happen’_ like the little shit he was.

She snorted and shook her head as she slid the paper over to him. “Well, luv, Jesse’s been in here twice, yeah? Flowers for quitting—which is equal parts hilarious and annoying—and flowers to beg for forgiveness from me. So, the second time he left his number with his cash and bolted.” She sighed dramatically, pressing her fingers to her head in mock irritation. “How many times do I havet’a tell him, if you’re gonna hit on someone, you need to stick around. ‘Course, he never listens to me, right?”

Oh, he did not want to be having this conversation, and definitely not with the roommate of someone who had tried to hit on him. The paper was a good blocker, even as the woman giggled at how red Hanzo’s ears were getting.

“Well, did’ja get his number? Cuz I can write it down for you again if you didn’t see it—“ she waved the pen at him, and Hanzo shook his head.

“I—I got it but—“ he stammered, before sighing. “It’s unprofessional to contact a customer like that.” He took a second to look at the request form, then back at the woman. “…You want “Purple for your homegirl”? That’s not super specific.”

The woman—Lena, from what the paper said—sighed and flopped fully down onto the counter. “Come on. You’re an amazing florist—I’m sure you can come up with something amazing. Also, please call him? I mean, it’d only be unprofessional to call if he wasn’t interested, and he’s being so damn mopey.”

Good god, what was his life coming to?

“Purple tulips for forever love. Forget-me-nots for true love. Lavender roses for love at first sight. Those, in a vase plus delivery, comes to $80.” She’d put ‘no limit’ in the price box, so he was going to get his money worth from her.

“Sounds like a deal, luv.” Lena pulled out a debit card, tapping it rapidly on the glass as Hanzo got the card machine ready to go. “You know, he did drive me, so I could always go get him if you don’t wanna call? He didn’t think it was a good idea to go for a jog in this weather for some reason.”

“No, thank you,” Hanzo replied, stiffly. That would make things even worse.

Lena laughed, popping her card back into her pocket before patting him on the arm. “Well, I hope you change your mind soon—he’s pining and I’m going to kill him if I have to listen to him wax poetic about that tattoo.”

The conversation stalled, to Hanzo’s relief, when his phone buzzed. It was only Genji going _‘whaaaaaa really???? howd that happen’_ , but it was enough to end the conversation before it got any more embarrassing, in Hanzo’s opinion.

“Well…I will get to work on your order right away,” he finally said, after a few moments of awkward silence, the words prompting the woman to leave and give him the privacy he needed to put his face in his hands and groan.

Was he seriously considering calling Jesse?

* * *

(Twenty minutes later, covered in pollen and plant debris, he had to admit that he was.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got to revising this chapter finally~ Hopefully these edits make the story a little more pleasant to read
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Overwatch Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/)


	4. So a Brother is introduced

Despite what he’d planned to do, Hanzo didn’t actually call Jesse.

How could he? A phone conversation would be nothing but awkward, he didn’t have anything to say that would necessitate phoning. What would he even say? _‘Hi, it’s Hanzo from that flower shop—by the way, I like your arm, are you trying to date me’_?

Hanzo cringed at the thought.

He briefly debated asking Genji for advice, but thought better of it when he came to pick up the delivery. He knew better than to mention anything relationship related to his younger brother, lest he be pestered for weeks about this…whatever this was.

So, instead, Hanzo texted Jesse.

 

_‘Hello_

_This is Hanzo from the flower shop_

_Your roommate wouldn’t stop pestering me about messaging you :/’_

 

He sent the message before he could second-guess himself, again, before shoving the phone under the counter. If he ignored the phone, then maybe he could forget that he’d actually gone and sent the message.

Looking around, Hanzo sighed. The shop was empty—no customers so far—and thus there was only one thing for him to do with his time:

Deadhead so he didn’t check his phone every five minutes like a 16-year-old with a terrible crush.

...

Not that he had a crush, of course.

 

* * *

 Hanzo tried his best to keep his plants in perfect shape, but there were always old leaves and dried blossoms amid the new, and he hated leaving them in there. It left a bad impression of the store, and that was the last thing he needed.

So, twenty minutes later he was sitting on a stool, tapping one foot on the rung as he trimmed back the branches of an azalea when Genji walked in.

“Well, I can see you’re run off your feet, as per usual, brother,” he commented, and Hanzo glared at him from his perch.

“I am allowed one slow day every once in a while, am I not?” Hanzo replied, before shaking his head. “I’ve finished all my corsage orders, I have no weddings to work on, and I’ve no customers so far. The least I can do is make sure that things still look professional. How did the delivery go?”

“Fine, fine,” Genji held up his hands as he slid behind the counter, sitting on the stool there and resting his elbow on the glass. Hanzo grimaced, and made a mental note to wipe it down later. “It went alright. Lacroix sure wasn’t expecting flowers, that’s for sure. All her students wanted to know who it was from, and I don’t blame them—she’s a severe looking woman, so—oh. Huh.”

Hanzo looked up, waiting for his brother to continue talking, before nearly paling when he realized why he wasn’t talking anymore. “Genji…” he all but growled, watching as Genji pulled his phone from under the counter.

Genji grinned as he scrolled down Hanzo’s notifications. “For someone with absolutely no social life, you sure have a lot of text messages. So, who’s Jesse?”

Not for the first time in his life, Hanzo regretted not keeping his phone on him, or at least modifying the settings so Genji couldn’t read his messages. If he said it was no one or nothing, he was going to be teased for the rest of the night, if not longer.

“He’s just a customer,” he said with a sigh, setting aside his pruning shears before the urge to hurl them at Genji took over. “He’s come in a few times for flowers, and he left me his number the last time,” Damnit, he could already feel is face flushing. “I was just going to ignore him, but then his roommate came in and asked me why I hadn’t contacted him yet…”

Hanzo trailed off, shifting on the stool. “Now, give me my phone.”

“No way! You left your phone here, that means I get the privilege of looking through your boyfriends messages first,” Genji said with a laugh, scrolling down as he read each one. “Aw, he wants to take you out for coffee! This will be your first date in, what, 10 years? Cute. And he thinks you have a nice name too—did he not know it before?” He looked up at Hanzo, who was definitely not trying to murder his brother with his eyes. “Did you really exchange numbers, and only now just tell him what your name is?”

Oh, yes he was red now, he could tell. “I was badgered into contacting him, and he isn’t my boyfriend! Besides, if he was smart enough to look at his receipts, he’d be able to figure out my name fairly easily. Now, phone.” It really didn’t matter that Jesse never got his receipts in the first place, but it was the principal of it all. Plus, even though Hanzo was the only employee, he still wore a nametag.

Usually.

“Naaaaah,” Genji waved the phone at him, before swiping it open. “You can come get it if you want it so badly.”

He was regretting putting the shears away already. With a sigh, he slid off the stool and stormed towards the counter.

Or, at least, that was the plan. Instead he hit a puddle of water and pile of dead plant matter, and three things happened.

One: Hanzo slid backwards onto his ass with a shout, unable to keep himself steady despite how accommodating his prosthetics were.

Two: Genji took the opportunity to take a photo of him sitting on the ground, covered in leaves and swearing, and sent it to Jesse.

Three: Hanzo reached up, grabbed his shears, and hurled them at Genji.

 

* * *

Twenty minutes later, after flipping the sign to say closed and trying to strangle Genji in a friendly, brotherly way, Hanzo had his phone in hand and was looking over his received text messages.

 

_‘o I didn’t think u’d actually message me!’_

_‘Lena does that sometimes’_

_‘do u wanna go for coffee since u din’t want dinner?’_

_‘hanzos a nice name btw thanx for tellin me I forgt to ask’_

_[10043.PNG Received]_

_‘omg lol u ok?’_

 

“…this man texts like a teenager,” he commented, and Genji rolled his eyes.

“And you text like a 40-year-old business man who just discovered simple emojis, but you don’t see me bitching about that, now do you? Now, hurry and answer him! Don’t keep him waiting.”

Hanzo shrugged, pushing Genji away. He did not need his brother hovering as he interacted with Jesse.

 

_‘I am fine, but my brother may not be after taking that picture :[_

_Thank you? I don’t drink coffee :x_

_Perhaps you should come to the shop tomorrow to make better plans’_

 

His second message sent, he turned to his brother and raised one eyebrow. “There, I’ve answered him. Happy?”

Genji just laughed again “I’m so proud—my big brother is finally going on a date. I can’t wait to tell everyone!”

 

* * *

(Hanzo knew that no one would believe Genji if he told anyone that he’d thrown a handful of potting soil at his head, so that was why he did it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reworked this chapter as well! Hopefully it looks good, y'all~
> 
> * * *
> 
> HEADCANONS  
> * Amélie works as a dance instructor at an expensive dance school and is going through a messy divorce/just finished a messy divorce  
> * Genji is a little shit in this AU  
> * Hanzo does have prosthetic legs in this AU because of an unfortunate car accident


	5. So there is another viewpoint

Okay, so, maybe Jesse McCree had made a mistake when he told Gabriel Reyes to go fuck himself and that he was quitting. But the chair to the face, the bloody nose, and the black eye were almost worth it when he thought back to the tattooed florist who’d put the basket of flowers together.

He kept the man’s face in mind when Lena gave him the best glare she could manage before throwing the classifieds at him, almost wishing that he had another reason to go get flowers.

Then he realized that Lena was the perfect reason, and off he went, leaving the classifieds behind.

 

Unfortunately, the completely hot florist didn't accept his offer of dinner, but he hadn't thrown Jesse out when he offered, so Jesse took that as a good sign. Good enough to scribble down his phone number and leave it with his $15 on the counter before bolting.

He didn’t want to stick around to see if the florist had gotten the number—he felt pretty self-conscious around the man.

 

Lena had, understandably, been a little miffed when he came back plus flowers and less $15, but she'd laughed her ass off when she saw the card.

“Who is this guy? I need to meet him!” Lena had thrown him the card, and Jesse’d choked when he read it. After she'd finished laughing at him and he'd gotten his breath back, he told her that he'd left his number.

“But you didn't stick around to make sure he actually got it, did you.” She’d pulled out a vase for the flowers, and after sticking them in some water, crossed her arms at him. It was less a question and more a statement, as it was his usual method of interacting with people he wanted to date.

“N…o. To be fair, he’s kinda angry looking and intimidatingly ho—LENA STOP HITTING ME!” She’d darted forwards and started to wail on him, as if that would fix his week-long bout of stupidity, leaving Jesse tripping over the Roomba and the neighbours downstairs pounding on their ceiling.

“You’re going to hurt Bastion, Darlin’!” he gave her his best puppy dog eyes, and Lena’d huffed, pulling him up from where he was curled around the beeping robot.

“Jesse McCree, you are an idiot, you know that, love?”

 

* * *

 

 

So it’d been a week, and Jesse was starting to slowly lose hope. It was too long of a time for the florist (who’s name Jesse hadn’t asked for, something he was kicking himself about) to take to call him, and he decided that his crush was, well, crushed.

Thus, he was laying on the couch, moping and poking through another round of classifieds, listening to the rain, when Lena popped up behind him.

“When are you going to just go back to the shop and ask him out properly?”

With a squawk that sent Lena’s bird Ganymede off, Jesse found himself half on the floor, staring up at his roommate. “What.”

She snorted. “Come on, you’re giving me a lift. I need to get some flowers for my bird, and I wanna meet loverboy.”

Jesse scowled, and shook his head. “No way—if he hasn’t called me or texted or anything, then he probably doesn’t want to see me. So why don’t you just run over there yourself? Ow, Jesus, Lena, stop beatin’ me up!”

“It’s raining, you bloody idiot, and I’m not going to run halfway across the city! Drive me.” Lena kicked him in the shoulder a few times, and with a grumble, Jesse rolled off the couch entirely, stumbled into the kitchen, and grabbed his keys from under a pile of newspapers.

“Don’t know why you don’t get your licence again, Darlin’. You’re all about speed—“ It was an old argument, and Lena just smacked him in the arm as he pulled out of the parking garage.

“You know exactly why I don’t drive, you prat. Now take me to your future husband’s shop.”

Jesse drove out into the thunderstorm with a sigh, wondering, not for the first time, if letting himself get hit by lightning would make his life easier.

Probably not.

 

* * *

 

 

“You should have seen him blush when I asked him about you!”

Lena slid back into the car with a huge grin on her face, dripping water onto his serape when she grabbed him by the shoulders. “I think he’d gonna call you soon! Also, you didn’t tell me about his cool ass tattoo—I’m offended.”

“To be fair, I was more focused on throwing flowers in Reyes’ face the first time, and the second time I was more focused on his face, so…wait, what did you say to him?”

Lena laughed, wiping her hands off on his clothing, and settled back into her seat. “That you were being a love-sick moron and that he should call before I kill you.”

“Thanks Lena. ‘Preciate the help, dear.” Jesse drawled, trying to sound unimpressed with her even though he was feeling…well, better than before. Maybe he did have a chance.

 

* * *

 

 

“PFT!”

It was a few days later, and Jesse dropped his phone onto the table with a snort. He’d been prepared to do another dig through a job search site when his phone had gone off.

 

_‘Hello_

_This is Hanzo from the flower shop_

_Your roommate wouldn't stop pestering me to message you the other day :/’_

 

After getting the first message and nearly tripping over Bastion again in his rush to practically throw his phone at Lena, he’d tapped out several messages of his own, asking about coffee instead of dinner and commenting on Hanzo’s name.

And waited. And waited. Then—

A photo text, and Jesse curled up on his chair, cackling. The florist—Hanzo— was flat on his ass on the ground, water seeping into his pants and covered in dead leaves. He also looked like he was ready to murder the camera.

Jesse saved the picture and changed the contact from _‘hot florist’_ to _‘Hanzo’_ , and typed out a quick reply.

 

‘ _omg lol u ok?’_

 

There was another pause, one long enough for Jesse to wonder if Hanzo had, in fact, murdered the camera, when his phone went off again.

 

_‘I am fine, but my brother may not be after taking that picture :[_

_Thank you? I don’t drink coffee :x_

_Perhaps you should come to the shop tomorrow to make better plans’_

 

“…someone should tell him that phones come with emojis installed now—he doesn’t have to do the _‘colon, bracket’_ thing anymore,” Lena said, leaning over his shoulder, watching as Jesse tapped out a few messages of his own.

 

_‘it is anice name im jesse’_

_‘wait i thihn I alredy told u that’_

_‘itsa datw ;)’_

* * *

 

(He hoped Hanzo didn’t kill his brother—he wanted more photos like the one he’d gotten)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Redone this one too, kinda! This is the turning point where I actually don't mind my writing, haha
> 
> * * *
> 
> *Lena was in a REALLY bad car crash a few years back so she doesn't drive anymore  
> *There are at least 4 videos of Ganymede riding on Bastion the Roomba on the internet  
> *Bastion is only named because Jesse got drunk, found a label maker, and named half the things in the apartment. The name stuck


	6. So a delivery is arranged

Hanzo started his day like any other, the knowledge that Jesse was coming to make plans for a date not quite hitting him until he walked into the shop and saw what a mess it was.

He was going on a date. The shop was a disaster. 

Hanzo figured he should focus on the simpler issue, and pulled out a broom. After all, dead leaves and delivery men were easier to deal with than the thought that he might be going on a date. At 5 after the hour, once the plants were somewhat organized and the floors as clear as they were going to be, he opened the store and sat back on his stool to wait.

And wait. 

Hanzo was almost debating getting out the flower catalogue while he waited when the phone rang. Work was as good a distraction as any, and he picked up the phone without even thinking about it.

 

“Hello, thank you for calling Stems and Pieces, Hanzo speaking,” He said, a practiced opening sentence that he was sure he could recite in his sleep. “How may I help you?”

A woman sniffed on the other end of the line, then started to talk. “I need…a bouquet delivered. 12 long stemmed roses, if you have them.”

Another delivery. Maybe Jesse had been good luck for him? Shaking the thought from his head, Hanzo stood to double check that he had the requested flowers.

“We have them. I do not take payment over the phone, however.”

"That is fine. I'll be in later to pay and arrange the details.” 

“And can I have a name for the order?” It was obvious the woman had not ordered flowers from him before. 

A sniff. “Lacroix. I will be in shortly.”

Well. Putting down the phone, Hanzo picked 12 roses, setting them aside for later. He’d best pull out some of the good paper, seeing as this seemed to be the one Genji’d delivered flowers to a few days prior. 

 

_‘Another delivery. I’ll let you know when and where once the customer comes in :]’_

_‘k’_  
_‘itd be nice if u actually paid me for delivering ur flowers u know’_  
_‘not tonight tho I have a daaaaaate’_

_‘You are aware that you can’t lord that over me anymore, not that it was anything to lord over me at all in the first place? :/’_

 

Ignoring his brothers likely indignant and illegible reply, his phone went back under the counter and Hanzo stood. He might as while water while he waited. 

 

Three hours and a dissatisfying lunch later, Hanzo was fighting the hanging baskets. He was going to have to talk to his supplier about the quality of the hooks that came on the baskets. Not to mention, half of them seemed to be root bound by the time he got them, and it was a waste of his time to re-pot every one that came to him--

“Need a hand there, darlin?”

So preoccupied with the baskets, Hanzo didn't notice the door opening or closing, nor the man walking up to him until he spoke. And—

 

Well, he didn't squeak because that'd be ridiculous and he didn't almost fall off the chair he was standing on because that'd be undignified and under absolutely no circumstances did Jesse McCree catch him before he face-planted in a pot of roses—

 

“Woah there! You okay? I mean, I'm all for you fallin’ all over me, but I'd appreciate it if you waited to swoon when you aren't standing on a chair.” The cowboy grinned at him, looking all kinds of dopey and pleased with himself. “I’d hate for you to get hurt.”

“Let me go,” Hanzo grunted as a response, pushing against his shoulder, and the man obediently backed off, giving Hanzo the space he needed to regain his composure. 

After a few seconds spent calming down, he turned back to Jesse and sighed. “Thank you, although I would appreciate it if you refrained from startling me again...Jesse.” If he was going to be seeing more of the man, he’s going to have to get used to saying his name out loud.

“I’ll try my best not to, darlin’. So, we gonna talk plans then?” Jesse had moved to the counter, leaning against it as Hanzo slid in behind. Hanzo frowned. Maybe he should get the counter replaced with a wooden one, so he didn’t have to see the smudges…

“I do have a name—“ Hanzo started to say, when the shop phone rang. Without missing a beat, he answered it, trusting that Jesse would keep his trap shut when he was on the phone.

 

“Stems and Pieces, Hanzo speaking. How may I help you?”

“This is Lacroix—I’ll be at your shop in 15 to pay for the flowers. I want to look at them first as well, make sure they’re… suitable.” The woman on the other end almost sounded annoyed that she was having to come and pay for the flowers, and had Hanzo been less in control of himself he’d have told her to fuck off and get her flowers elsewhere.

Instead, he simply scowled. “I understand, Mrs. Lacroix. I’ll be here.”

Okay, so he wasn’t above hanging up on her in the end, but _really_? Checking his flowers? What kind of shop did she think he ran? With a sigh, he ran his hand through his bangs, and looked up, prepared to excuse himself to pull out his best paper and note cards. That was…odd. Jesse looked absolutely terrified for some reason.

“Something wrong?” he asked, and Jesse shook his head, then nodded.

“Uh yeah. Amélie doesn’t like me none, so if that’s her I should probably hide outta sight for a mo’, so she doesn’t go off on a tirade when she sees me.” He was looking towards the back room door, and with a sigh Hanzo waved him ahead.

“I can see absolutely no reason why anyone would dislike you,” he said, rolling his eyes as the man scurried into the back room, before following after. “Can you pass me that box there? No, that one.”

 

Fifteen minuets later Hanzo had his counters cleaned, the roses tidied, and all his wrapping paper and note cards in one neat display. He’d like to see this woman complain now!

The woman who entered the shop was tall and thin, her long black hair reaching mid thigh even when it was in a high pony. Hanzo was momentarily reminded of some of the women his father had working for him, before banishing the thought from his mind. This woman was a dance teacher, not private security.

“Mrs. Lacroix? Welcome.” He nodded to her from behind the counter, meeting her gaze. Genji was right, she was rather severe looking.

“Mhm. The roses?” She broke first, following his hand to where the long-stemmed roses were in the cooler. “Good. The last place I ordered from didn’t even bother with a cooler, the imbéciles. How much?"

“$35 for the flowers, $20 for the delivery. Includes paper and a note card. If you want a vase, that’s extra.” He didn’t quite cross his arms, but the intent was there as he rested his hands lightly on the counter. “I believe you wanted to check the roses over before you made a decision?”

Lacroix snorted. “They are fine. I want delivery for tomorrow, 9 AM on the dot. Winston’s Garage, for Lena Oxton.” She paused. “I will write out what I want on the note card, if you have a pen and paper?”

 

Five minutes later everything was hashed out, and Lacroix was out the door, heels clacking against the sidewalk as she climbed into her car. The sound prompted Jesse to poke his head out of the glorified closet that was the back room as Hanzo texted the details of the delivery to Genji. 

“Okay, did you just severely over charge her, or what? I distinctly remember the roses I got costin’ less.” He asked, leaning against the counter again.

“Long stemmed roses are more expensive. And what if I had? Are you going to chase her down and tell her of the fact?” Hanzo snorted as Jesse raised his hands in defeat. “Now, plans.”

“The date,” Jesse said in response, grinning again. “Now if you ain’t a fan of coffee, and are opposed to dinner—“

“Only at the time when you asked,” Hanzo interrupted, before waving a hand. “That isn’t important, though. Dinner tonight, once I close?” That would give him enough time to mentally prepare—it’d been years since he’d gone out with anyone.

Now Jesse was beaming, and he pulled his hat down a little to hide his face. “I know just the place, partner. Pick you up here at 7:30 then?”

“Better make it 8—I will need time to go home and change, after all. Casual, I assume?” Now he was smiling as well, even as he looked over what Jesse was wearing.

 

Good god, Hanzo was going on a date with a man who thought his cowboy getup was attractive.

(and he didn’t regret it)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only did a few little edits! I can't write romance woth a shit but it's cute so idk
> 
> * * *
> 
> ( [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Texts From Last Night Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/) )


	7. So a date begins

Okay, maybe he was starting to regret a little bit. Not regretting meeting Jesse McCree, but maybe regretting the dinner thing.

 

Genji was no help, both complaining about the early delivery time and making fun of him about the date in the same breath, and so Hanzo had rolled his eyes and made the executive decision to close down early. He needed the time to get home and prepare, he told himself as he locked up. 

His apartment was small but nice for a florist, something left over from when his father had expected him to finish business school and take over the company, but it seemed much too large as he rushed through it, getting ready.

After too much time altogether, he'd chosen dark jeans and a dark blue shirt, his good jacket (but not his best jacket), and a pair of dress shoes. Then Hanzo collapsed on the couch, thankful that he didn't own any pets that shed hair. 

His pets in question, 2 bearded dragons, were piled together on their heated rock, the crickets for their dinner hopping around looking for a non-existent escape route from the large aquarium. 

“Is this a bad idea…” he said to them, only to be ignored for his troubles. “I don't do this kind of thing—I may pine and crush but I never…date.”

The word conjured images of parental arranged meetings between him and family friends’ daughters as a young teen, and Hanzo grimaced. It was not a good mindset to think that way before going to dinner.

…speaking of. Hanzo stood, checking himself over for probably the 5th time, before grabbing his keys, phone, and wallet. He might as while head to the shop and wait there. The walk might clear his head a little as well.

* * *

It was an easy half-hour walk to the shop, but Hanzo didn’t mind. It was a pleasant enough evening, and he made good time, getting to the shop five minutes before Jesse.

“You’re early,” Hanzo said as Jesse stepped out of his car, noting with some despair that, while he looked good, the damn cowboy hat was still on his head.

“Uh, yeah. Figured I should be early, make a good impression and all that.” The man almost looked embarrassed, and the hat left his head for a split second as he ran a hand through his hair. “You, uh, you look good.”

There was an awkward silence as Hanzo looked over Jesse, taking in his outfit. Jeans and plaid, cowboy boots but thankfully no spurs. He looked good enough that Hanzo could almost, _almost_ , forgive the hat. The silence was broken when Hanzo coughed, then looked towards the car.

“I believe you had a destination in mind?” he asked, to take him mind off of other thoughts, and Jesse nodded. 

“There’s this place downtown—they have killer desserts, and they serve things other than coffee there too.” He motioned to the car, and Hanzo carefully slid inside. It was…

 

Well. The polite thing to say was it was clean. What Hanzo wanted to say was that is stunk like cigarettes.

 

“You smoke?” he asked, and Jesse nodded. 

“Yeah. You? I have a pack if you want to bum one.”

Hanzo shook his head. “No, I don’t. It’s not good for the flowers either, so it was never a habit I got into. Now, you’ve mentioned dessert and drink, but not actual dinner. Or is this a case of sweets for supper?”

Jesse waved a hand as he started to drive, pulling out into traffic with ease. “No, no. Their food is good, but the real draw is the sweet stuff. But if that don’t tickle your fancy, there’s an Italian place downtown I could probably get us into.”

“It’s fine…but this place better have exceptional cake, or what have you, to make up for it.” Hanzo smiled a half-smile, slowly relaxing into the seat. It was…well it hadn’t even started, but the date seemed to be going well. For one, there was no family expectations rearing their ugly heads, and he hoped it’d stay like that for a very, very long time.

“Oh, they do.” Jesse snorted, switching lanes before the light changed and probably pissing off the woman in the lane next to them. “So, do you usually walk to work?”

The part he hated most: getting to know each other from inane questions. “No, I do drive. It didn’t seem like it was worth the gas to drive down to the shop and park when I could walk. It’s going to be an beautiful night, after all.” Hanzo paused. “I’ve been curious—I never had a chance to ask why you were quitting.”

Another snort. “The bossman broke up with his boyfriend and started taking out his piss-poor attitude on us instead of patching things up. I got sick of getting heck for shit I wasn’t responsible for, and threw in the towel. And the bouquet.”

“All that hard work, destroyed,” Hanzo sighed, and Jesse grinned.

“Not really. I got a text from one of the brave bastards who stayed, and apparently he didn’t maul the flowers. Pinned up the note that came with them, actually. What’s it like, working in a flower shop?”

“It’s relaxing. There isn’t the same rush as, say, a retail store, and I’m my own boss and only employee. I usually only have to deal with proms, weddings, and cowboys.” Hanzo blanched when he realized what he said, and waited for the fallout. He hadn’t meant to mention the cowboy thing, either that he acknowledged it in anyway or privately referred to Jesse as such, but it’d slipped out.

“Cowboys are pretty dangerous. Smudging up glass counters and bartering for flowers.” Jesse agreed instead, pulling into a small parking lot by a smaller café. “I think cowboys are actually the leading cause of swooning off of chairs too.”

Hanzo relaxed and rolled his eyes as the car stopped, pulling off his seat belt and stepping out into the night. “A menace to society. In fact, I heard that one in every 2 men is secretly a cowboy. I wonder if I’ll see one while I’m out with you.”

“Perhaps. I’ll keep an eye out, let you know if one walks past.”

* * *

The café was small but cozy, and Hanzo could easily see why Jesse brought him there. The food options were basic for a café, soup, sandwiches, and chicken, but the dessert case was as impressive as made seem.

“So, I’ll pay,” Jesse said, and Hanzo leveled a look at him. 

“If I remember correctly, you are unemployed, and you mentioned being unable to make rent. I’ll pay.” His wallet was out in a flash, an eyebrow raised as if challenging Jesse to argue. He, in return, simply raised his hands in defeat.

“Okay sweetheart, if you say so.”

With a sigh, Hanzo looked over the selection of sandwiches, knowing that he’d be making himself something else once he returned home. 

“Their turkey club is good, or the roast beef. The ham isn’t too great, and I haven’t tried the Montréal smoked meat yet.” Jesse leaned over the cooler, bumping arms with Hanzo as he picked up one of the sandwiches. “The sweets are the thing to come here for, though.”

“I can tell.”

Hanzo grabbed on of the turkey sandwiches, before turning his attention to the drinks list. There was coffee, of course, and soda, but Hanzo ignored the postings to focus in on their tea selection. It was obvious that coffee was their strong suit, and after a moment, Hanzo had decided on a rooibos and a piece of cherry cheesecake.

Jesse by contrast had decided on a black coffee and two pieces of cottage cheese cake, grinning when he saw Hanzo’s look.

“Hey, if you’re buyin’…” he said, and Hanzo chuckled as he swiped his card.

“All that cake, but you take your coffee black? I thought you’d be drinking those ridiculous blended things. What are they, mocha vanilla bean frappes?” 

Jesse made a face as he sat down at the table in the back corner, careful not to spill his coffee as he set down his food. “Uhg, no thank you. That’s more Lena’s thing. I like my coffee nice and strong, thank you.” He seemed to wait until Hanzo’d taken an appraising sip of his tea before adding on- “Kinda like how I like my men.”

Hanzo resisted the urge to sputter at the comment, and instead shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and set down the cup.

“That was terrible. And I have a younger brother—I’ve had worse said to me while drinking something, so you’ll never make me choke on a drink. Genji tells terrible puns.” Now Hanzo waited until Jesse was taking a sip of his drink. “Besides, I feel like the ‘strong, hot, and able to keep me up all night’ descriptor applies more to you than myself.”

He raised an eyebrow as Jesse sputtered into his mug, before forgoing his sandwich and taking a bite of the cheesecake. It was as good as he’d hoped it’d be, and Hanzo hummed approvingly, before setting his fork aside.

The sandwich was okay, far too much mayonnaise and mustard on it to be a pleasant meal, the lettuce was all white and far too flavourless, and the turkey was under seasoned and bland, but Jesse didn’t seem to mind. That, or he was trying to distract from the faint flush turning his ears red by attempting to shove an entire half loaf of bread in his mouth.

“Don’t choke,” Hanzo said, picking at his before giving up and moving onto his cake. Jesse made a strangled noise, and grabbed a napkin to wipe the mustard off his face.

“You, darlin’, are some kinda evil, you know that?”

“My brother has mentioned as much before. You still have some—“ Hanzo motioned on his face the general location of a streak of yellow, before rolling his eyes for what felt like the 9th time that night when Jesse wiped the wrong side of his nose. “—no no, here, give me that—“

He leaned over, snatched the napkin from Jesse’s prosthetic hand, and wiped the mustard away, before sitting back in his chair. Jesse responded by stabbing his cake viciously and shoving a good glob of it into his mouth.

Hanzo laughed softly before he could stop himself, and suddenly found himself intently interested in his half-finished cup of tea.

 

(He got the feeling it was going to be a good night)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what are dates what is flirting i just do not know i am a poor confused ace who's never gone on a date help me  
> The cafe they go to is p much just the Hungarian place downtown. I love the cherry cheesecake. I do not love the cottage cheese cake
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Overwatch Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/)


	8. So a date continues

It didn’t take long for the two of them to finish their cake, Hanzo finishing his off as soon as he finished contemplating drowning himself in his mug. Jesse had taken a little longer because he had two pieces, but once Hanzo said he had no real interest in trying the cottage cheese cake, the second piece was scarfed down in no time.

This left Hanzo with his current predicament. They both had half a mug of drink and no real place to be for the rest of the night. And he had absolutely no idea what to say.

It seemed like the same issue was bothering Jesse, who’d started tapping his metal fingers against his cup in a nervous pattern. He opened his mouth, the same time Hanzo did, and they both paused.

 

“Uhm--”

“Ah—“

 

They both stared at each other, and Jesse cracked first, snickering as he shook his head. “I’ve never been good at this small talk stuff, darlin’. You go first.”

Honestly, he’d have preferred it the other way around, but now Jesse was watching him with—had Hanzo even realized before how nice his eyes were before?

 

…god, he was acting like one of the characters from the manga that Genji used to read.

 

“What made you decide on giving your boss flowers to tell him you were quitting?” he finally asked, and Jesse shrugged.

“I wanted to make a lasting impression, honestly. I realize now that it might have been a mistake…the job market is shit right now.” He sighed, taking a drink of his coffee. Hanzo understood what he meant—Genji was between jobs again (not that he really needed a job) and he himself wasn’t making quite enough to realistically pay his brother a good wage for doing his deliveries.

“Well, 'supose it’s my turn now to ask…I assume Genji’s the younger brother you mentioned? And he’s the one who sent me that photo of you?” Hanzo groaned at the question, and Jesse grinned as he started to mutter darkly in Japanese.

“Yes…” he finally ground out and this time Jesse laughed.

“Guess I owe him my thanks, huh? I mean, I got a pretty nice photo out if that exchange.”

Hanzo looked up at him, face aghast. “You did not.”

“Did not what?”

“You saved that photo?!” Oh, he was going to strangle Genji when he came to get the delivery. Sure, Lacroix would be pissed and Genji’s boyfriend would be sad, but they could deal. 

“Of course I did. I mean, how could I pass up a free picture of a hot florist? I mean, sure you were flat on your ass in a puddle of water and dead plants, but—whoa hey!” Jesse started to laugh as Hanzo shoved him in the shoulder, before groaning and putting his head face down on the café table.

“I hate you, and I hate Genji, and I need to leave town and change my name and—“ Maybe he could steal Jesse’s phone and delete the photo? Or kill everyone who’d seen the photo? Or go hide in a hole for the rest of his life.

“Aw, it’s not that bad. I mean, you did almost face plant into those plants earlier before I caught you.” The soft laughter didn’t stop as Hanzo lifted his head off the table enough to glare, then put his hands over his face. “It’s not every day that I have guys fallin’ over me, ya know.”

“I am going to go get us both another drink and when I get back this better not be the topic of conversation.” Hanzo warned, grabbing their cups and heading to the counter, Jesse’s laughter echoing through the nearly empty cafe. It wasn’t that his balance was off, he just kept getting startled.

* * *

“So, I guess it’s your turn to ask a question.” Jesse leant back in his chair as Hanzo returned, taking the new coffee with a grin. “And if you really want me too, I’ll delete the photo.”

Hanzo grunted as he sat down again, before shaking his head. “It’s fine, I’m just usually not so…off balance.” He’d fallen or slipped more time in the last week than he had in months, and it was terribly embarrassing. “Do you own any pets?” Talking about anything else should take his mind of things.

“Uh, not really. Lena has a bird, and I have a Roomba, but that’s not really a pet, huh.” He winced as he took a drink, too hot, and Hanzo smirked behind his mug. “I don’t mind Ganymede none, but it’s entirely Lena’s pet. I’m more of a dog person, honestly. What about you? Any beasties in your life?”

Hanzo wasn’t surprised that Jesse was a dog person. “I have two bearded dragons-- Umi and Kawa. I’ve had them for about 6 years now.” 

“Huh. Is it hard, owning lizards? I mean, the bird is a lot more work than I thought one’d be, so I’d guess that dragons are too.” He wasn’t wrong. Hanzo had to make sure that the habitat was both warm but not too warm, out of direct sunlight, and that they were eating more than just crickets or greens.

“They can be a handful, yes, but by now I’ve gotten caring for them down to an art.” Hanzo sighed. “Not that they aren’t pests. Making a mess of their habitat, biting me, biting each other…”

Jesse laughed. “Well, at least I ain’t gotta worry about that with Bastion.”

“Bastion? Wait—do you mean the Roomba?” Of course he named his Roomba. Hanzo was going to have to stop being surprised by Jesse before he found himself living in a constant state of disbelief. 

“Yep. Got drunk, got a label maker, and the rest is history. Lena wasn’t happy at first, but that might have been the noodles…”

* * *

Another hour passed of idle chatter and getting to know each other, before the café had to close and they found themselves standing outside in the night. Jesse hadn’t gone to college; Hanzo had honours in business. Hanzo, obviously, had one brother; Jesse had no siblings. Jesse liked the colours orange, red, and blue; Hanzo liked blue and purple. 

Hanzo had a good time; Jesse had a great time.

“So,” Jesse pulled out a smoke as they stood in the chill, shrugging apologetically even as he lit the end. “Do you want me to drop you off at your shop again, or your place?”

“My place—unless you don’t plan on learning where I live?” Hanzo leaned up against Jesse’s car, a smirk on his face. “I would rather this not be a one-time event.”

 

(It was a good night, and, hell, he wanted more nights like it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, confused ace knows nothing about dating so if this is awkward or like... paperback romance novel cheesy, sorry ;;  
> I was planning on keeping McCree's job a secret because I had no idea what it'd be but I just figured out what it's gonna be but I'mma not tell u guys yet B)  
> (Genji would know Jesse by sight but not name though)
> 
> * * *
> 
> I renamed hanzo's beardie dragons to match my noodle fic~
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Overwatch Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/)


	9. In which a month has passed

“So, why’d you decide to take up plants?”

A month later, and Jesse was becoming a staple at the flower store. This was, not that Hanzo would admit it, the reason why he’d caved and installed a wooden countertop, replacing the glass one. 

Not that he was complaining—it made the dull days go by faster, having Jesse around, and gave him—

Well, Genji would say that it gave him _something_ to do, but Hanzo’s mental version Genji was banished from suggesting things at the moment.

“It was something different—I could use my business degree for it too.” Hanzo paused, ducking under Jesse’s arm to clear some dead leaves from one of the rose bushes. “And I like flowers and plants.”

“Huh. What about the flower meanings? Was that just something extra you studied?” 

Hanzo paused, suddenly slightly embarrassed. “Ah…well…when I was younger, I read a book and flower meanings were mentioned a few times, so I looked into it. And now here I am,” he shrugged, and Jesse pulled him into a hug. 

“That is, truthfully, the most adorable thing I’ve heard. You mean you read a book and that’s why you’re running your own business instead of making the big bucks back in Japan?” Hanzo could hear the shit eating grin in Jesse’s voice, and made a face. 

“Let me go, Jesse—what if a customer comes in? This is beyond unprofessional,” he protested, not that he made an effort to extract himself from the hug, and Jesse laughed as he pressed a kiss to his head. 

“I dunno—I’d be more worried about what your brother, who is standing right here, would think seeing this PDA in front of the two eyes that never, ever wanted to see his brother canoodling with someone.”

 

Hanzo blamed Jesse’s laughter for blocking him from hearing the bell. Jesse blamed the bell for not being loud enough. Genji blamed the fact that Hanzo was ‘2 seconds from sucking face’ for why they didn’t hear the bell, or him clearing his throat, or him saying ‘Hanzo’.

 

“I mean,” Genji continued as he pulled himself up to sit on top of the counter, “It’s nice to finally meet the boyfriend—I know you.”

Hanzo slipped out of Jesse’s hug, to Jesse’s obvious disappointment, then shot Genji a confused look. “You do?”

“I do? I mean, I definitely don’t know who you are…Well, I guess I know that you’re Genji who’s a little shit, but I haven’t met you before.” Jesse said, leaning back against one of the tables, before relocating after Hanzo pointedly looked at the potted plants that didn’t need to be smashed on the floor.

“Well, I mean, I doubt we ever told each other our names, and it’s usually dark…” Genji trailed off. “You’re a bartender, right?”

“Not anymore—right now I’m just one of those unemployed layabouts or whatever it is that Lena calls me,” Jesse said. “I hang out here and pester Hanzo, mostly.”

Hanzo gave him the most unimpressed look. “All this time you wouldn’t tell me what your job used to be, and I find out now that you used to just be a bartender. I was expecting some kind of illegal activities or something.” His eyes flicked to Genji. “Not a word, you.”

“Me? Whatever would I say to that?” Genji shared a grin with Jesse, and Hanzo sighed. “Which bar did you work out of? I can’t think…”

Jesse narrowed his eyes, then shot up and away from the wall. “Wait! I do know you—we banned you like 4 times from the club. How on earth did you keep getting in?”

“Charm and sex appeal, charm and sex appeal,” Genji winked, and Hanzo sighed. “Aw, come on Hanzo—I’m in a committed relationship now. I’m not going steal your boyfriend…I still have no idea what bar you’re out of though. Do you know how many bars I’ve been kicked out of or banned from?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Hanzo stressed the word, giving Jesse a look that conveyed just how often he dealt with his brother’s antics.

“Blackwatch Bar and Nightclub—I was the bartender until I, uh, had your brother help me quit.”

Genji looked at him, then nodded once. “So that’s where that card came from! I was wondering why there was an “I quit, fuck you” note hung up on the wall.”

“No way—Gabe framed that shit? I guess he isn’t all that pissed at me…” Jesse grinned, and Hanzo sighed. 

Well, at least Jesse and Genji were getting along…which was enough for him, he thought as he watched Genji and Jesse talk. 

“So, which one of you two wants to do this delivery for me?”

 

(And so what if they complained-- neither of them had anything else to do, after all)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sO IT'S DONE I know it isn't as long or possibly what you were expecting but I wanted to get this fic finished so I could move onto more in this series.  
> I had a hard time finishing this chapter and I meant to have another chapter from Jesse's pov but it just wasn't working for me-- sorry ;o;
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [Overwatch Tumblr](http://over-swatch.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Overwatch Tumblr](http://textsfromwatchpointgibraltar.tumblr.com/)


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